Liberia City Tour and Souvenir Shopping

Duration: Half Day

If you fancy a spot of shopping during your holiday in Costa Rica, why not take a city and shopping tour in Liberia, the capital and cultural centre of Guanacaste province, and one of Costa Rica’s oldest towns.

Located in northern Costa Rica, this bustling, historic town has an interesting blend of both modern and colonial architecture. Because of its whitewashed adobe houses, with their ornate wooden doors and red-tile roofs, Liberia is also often referred to as "la ciudad blanca" or 'the white city'.

Visit the gallery of pre-Columbian art, and the Sabanero Museum, where you will learn about the history of Liberia and the Costa Rican sabanero (cowboy) through old photographs and everyday working tools, which were used by cowboys on farms in the Guanacaste province during the colonial and post colonial era. Sabanero culture is central to Liberia’s identity, which is still evident in the town today.

An obvious sense of pride, history, and tradition is notable throughout Liberia. Take a stroll through the central park, the heart of the city, and through the charming Spanish colonial old town. Your guide will take you to the central plaza, which is a great place to people-watch, and to various points of interest, including the historic La Agonía church, Liberia’s oldest church, and other architectural gems.

As for shopping, the local handicraft stores will give you plenty of gift ideas, and on your way back you will visit the local souvenir shop at Guardia, where excellent Costa Rican arts and hand-crafted goods made out of pottery and wood can be found.

If you happen to be visiting on the 25th July, Guanacaste Day celebrates the province’s independence from neighbouring Nicaragua in 1824. Traditional celebrations include an annual horse parade, cattle auction, musical performances, a bullfight, rural fair and folk dancing −all which reinforce the Costa Ricans’ love for life, music and dancing.

Because of its international Airport, Liberia has become an increasingly popular place to stay whilst visiting the surrounding national parks, volcanoes and pacific beaches. Although the town is not as metropolitan as San Jose, Liberia has a quiet colonial charm all of its own which is definitely worth exploring.

The hotels offer the ideal place for couples or families with younger children with a wide selection of activities and entertainments

Enjoy a variety of classes from yoga and tai chi to dance and Spanish classes as well as an exciting range of eco-adventures from hiking to catamaran tours and scuba diving at The Westin Golf Resort and Spa, Playa Conchal

All rooms at both hotels feature a range of fantastic amenities including free high-speed Wi-Fi, and offer the best in comfort.

Costa Rica News

The UK's leading travel trade publication recently reviewed one of the most lavish resorts in Costa Rica, the Andaz Peninsula Papagayo. Since it opened its doors to the public in 2013, the property has maintained an excellent reputation for its bay-side location, delicious flavours of local cuisine, attentive services and top-notch facilities.

New statistics from the Costa Rica Tourism Board have revealed that the number of travellers from the UK increased by 6.7 percent in 2017 compared to 2016. The number of UK tourists visiting Costa Rica totalled 76,173 last year, making it the Central American country’s largest source market in Europe. This has been helped by an increase in flights between London and San Jose.

2018 will be a great year for Costa Rica it seems. Not only was the country listed in the Top Ten Destinations on the Rise in 2018 by TripAdvisor's Traveller's Choice Awards, but two of its hotels also made it to the Top Ten of the same awarding body's Top 25 Hotels in the World, while one of its beaches was included in the Top 25 Beaches in the World list too. With so many accolades, no doubt this is likely to be a good year for Costa Rica, according to TripAdvisor at least!